Top 5 most memorable air cargo partnerships announced in 2018

As we wrap up the end of another year of evolution and growth in the realm of airfreight, Air Cargo World reflects on the year’s most memorable partnerships, memoranda of understanding (MOUs), strategic cooperations and joint ventures (JVs), which mark the beginning of a new era in the industry — one that will be defined by innovation. Continue reading to find out our list of 2018’s most noteworthy and mold-breaking collaborations that we look forward to watching develop in the new year. Cainiao + Emirates [caption id="attachment_58086" align="alignleft" width="300"] Emirates SkyCargo loading an Envirotainer of pharma product into a 777 freighter.[/caption] Type of relationship: Partnership Date signed: June 6 Description: Network expansion In June, Alibaba’s logistics arm, Cainiao, revealed Dubai as one of the six new hubs it plans to establish around the world, with the formation of a partnership with Emirates SkyCargo for the carrier to support the e-commerce giant’s air freight needs. The partnership is part of the Hangzhou-based e-commerce giant’s effort to reduce its international shipping times with the ambitious objective of offering 72-hour shipping anywhere in the world. In the initial announcement, Emirates said that further details of the new partnership will be “announced progressively as they are developed.” So far, we haven’t heard more on the developments of the partnership from either party, but Air Cargo World expects to receive further updates in 2019. Turkish + PAL Air + ZTO Express Type of relationship: JV Date signed: June 11 Description: E-commerce logistics services company On June 11, Turkish Cargo entered an agreement with China-based ZTO Express and forwarder PAL Air to launch a joint-venture logistics services company — the goal, to capitalize on the Chinese e-commerce market. The Hong Kong-based tripartite offers door-to-door logistics services, including trucking, distribution, warehousing, transportation and final-mile delivery services. In September, Turkish established a new cargo unit “principally in the fields of cargo and courier transportation” to further underpin the JV’s delivery services. Delta + Korean Type of relationship: JV Date signed: July 17 Description: Sharing of belly capacity and facilities In July, the same month that the United States imposed a 25 percent tariff on Chinese goods, Delta Cargo and Korean Air expanded their longtime relationship to share cargo capacity on trans-Pacific routes. Shawn Cole, vice president of Delta Cargo, said the partnership “means a host of new destinations with commercial and logistics solutions across Asia and North America for these important markets,” by allowing Korean Air to utilize Delta’s extensive North American network, and Delta to access Korean’s destinations in the Far East. The deal generated some excitement in the industry due to concern amongst forwarders about availability of trans-Pacific capacity at the time, which wasn’t helped by the noteworthy grounding of major trans-Pacific carrier NCA’s freighter fleet of 747s in June. JD + Tianjin Air Cargo [caption id="attachment_21718" align="alignleft" width="300"] Inside a JD.com warehouse, source: JD.com[/caption] Type of relationship: Strategic Cooperation Launch date: Nov. 6 Description: A switch from belly-space airfreight to freighter service. Finally confirming industry rumors regarding its strategic plans, e-commerce giant JD.com launched a 737 freighter service early last month via its logistics arm, in partnership with Tianjin Air Cargo, a subsidiary carrier of the HNA Group. The move represents a major departure for JD, which, until now, has relied on moving airfreight in the belly holds of passenger aircraft. If the strategy rings a bell, it may be because U.S.-based competitor Amazon executed a similar strategy by moving logistics and airfreight in house. JD Logistics now operates round-trip, six-times-weekly flights between Tianjin (TSN) and Guangzhou (CAN). Belgium + Cainiao Type of relationship: MOU Date signed: Dec. 5 Description: Cross-border e-commerce trade between China and Europe The government of Belgium and Alibaba’s, Cainiao logistics arm made a deal aiming to promote cross-border e-commerce trade between China and Europe by bringing Alibaba’s Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) to Belgium. The project will gradually phase in eWPT operations beginning in 2021, and include the construction of warehouse and sortation facilities that focus on the e-commerce needs of small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Top 5 most memorable air cargo partnerships announced in 2018

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